Man, 67, Gets Six Years in Prison After Drunken Crash That Killed Sleeping Homeowner in Miami

A 67-year-old man will go to prison for a drunken-driving crash that killed an elderly man in his own bed. Allen Matis pleaded guilty on Thursday to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide, both felonies, under a deal with prosecutors.

The agreement calls for six years in prison, followed by two years of house arrest and six years of probation. Matis's driver's license will be suspended for the rest of his life. He was also ordered to pay a $250 fine each year on the anniversary of the crash.

During the hearing, the judge asked Matis whether the plea was his own decision and no one else's. "Yes, ma'am," he answered. He told the court he accepted full responsibility. "I pray to him every night and I beg him for forgiveness," Matis said.

The crash happened on June 24 in the 2900 block of Southwest 57th Avenue. According to Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office deputies, Matis ran a stop sign and drove his car through the wall of the home of 83-year-old Henri Bezy. Bezy was asleep inside and died. Authorities said he remained trapped under the vehicle afterward.

Body camera footage captured the scene that followed. Deputies used flashlights to get inside the house and walked Matis out as they began their investigation. First responders examined him in an ambulance before he was taken to a hospital. An arrest report said his blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.

Bezy's sister, Claire, spoke after the hearing. "Now there's a void taking his place, and nothing will ever change that. Nothing will bring him back," she said. Family friend Gary Wilcox said Claire also lived in the house and has lost both her brother and her home. "Her house was destroyed. She left with the clothes on her back. She has to start over at 88 years old," he said.

Wilcox said he was not in a position to judge the sentence, adding that prison at 67 will be hard for Matis. "I will pray for him," he said.

The family said Bezy was weeks away from turning 84. They described him as a former member of the military, a former law enforcement officer and a long-haul trucker who loved fishing and a good meal. Claire said she is trying to focus on what she remembers most fondly: "His loyalty to his friends and his generosity."

Matis's attorney, Bruce Lehr, said his client hopes the family can forgive him. "He showed the most remorse I've ever seen by any defendant," Lehr said. Bezy's loved ones said they hope the case sends a clear message: do not drink and drive.